Chic snacks and telling jokes.
Yesterday and today it was busy at the Norwegian court. The President of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan, is there with a delegation on a state visit. And with only two days in the Scandinavian country, you understand that agendas are packed.
State visit
In Tanzania, East Africa, it is currently about 32° Celsius, but Her Eminence, President Samia Suluhu Hassan, was unfortunately unable to take the sun with her in her suitcase and arrived yesterday in snowy Norway, where temperatures exceed be below freezing all week.
Fortunately, the atmosphere is anything but cold, and several images of the visit show the Tanzanian president chatting with King Harald, Queen Sonja, the crown princely couple Haakon and Mette-Marit, and Princess Astrid.
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After an official reception, a short photo session, and the traditional wreath laying, an extensive business conference was on the agenda. The state visit is (as usual) all about mutual cooperation between the two countries, but has an extra special edge.
It is exactly sixty years ago that Norway and Tanzania forged diplomatic ties with each other, and that was something to celebrate!
State banquet
As usual, a festive state banquet was planned at the end of the first day. The necessary honorary pins, hereditary jewels and tiaras were not avoided. The official account of the Tanzanian government shares several snapshots of the big evening via Instagram.
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The fashion experts behind Instagram account Royal Fashion Police also noticed a very special detail: the hot pink dress that Her Majesty is wearing is a dress that she has had in her closet for 33 (!) years. The satin gown is by Erik Mortensen, and we first saw it in 1991. In addition to Princess Anne, Sonja also appears to love vintage outfits. And don’t blame her – the dress still looks great on her.
Joke
In addition to his uniform, King Harald had clearly also put on his joker for the state banquet. As usual, there were pleasant discussions beforehand, during which people of course reflected on all the shared successes and the pleasant cooperation over the years.
Harald gave his speech a sweet personal touch, and looked back with some nostalgia on his own visit to Tanzania in 1981. However, that rush of nostalgia quickly turned into hilarity with a very special anecdote:
“From the vast Serengeti to the Swahili Coast, it was a great way to be introduced to the continent. And unforgettable – in so many different ways. I can assure you all: if you are ever chased by a rhino, you will never forget it. Just ask the queen.” Ha!
Source: Kongehuset.no, Ikulu Tanzania | Image: NL Image
